52. Of approximately 45 Iwi, only sixteen have sites¹⁸. However, many Maori organisations are likely to be under dot co or dot ac rather than dot iwi and there are an increasing number of Maori sites. While it is not possible to say exactly what use Maori are making of the Internet, anecdotal evidence provided to officials suggests that more Maori are seeing the economic and social advances that the Internet enables them to make and taking steps to increase their understanding of and expertise in ICT. This is reflected in the rapidly growing membership of the Maori Internet Society (Te Whanau Ipurangi), which now has 90 members. This may not automatically translate into wider access for all Maori though.

53. Te Kohanga Reo has completed a project to electronically link their centres through the Internet. While Te Kohanga Reo is an early childhood education provider they have a vision of themselves as a force for Maori development. Therefore, if funding permitted, they would view positively the opportunity to provide community access for Maori to utilise ICT.

54. There is no data on Pacific peoples use of ICT, especially the Internet. However, in a joint consultation by the Ministries of Commerce and Pacific Island Affairs with representatives of the Pacific community representatives last year, the following key points were raised:
    • Pacific peoples generally have low levels of access to ICT. Compared to other groups, Pacific families generally do not have a computer at home.

    • Low access is largely related to cost.

    • Families in the Pacific are more connected than families in cities like Auckland because of international agencies' willingness to fund ICT development in the Pacific.

    • Young Pacific people are increasingly exposed to and proficient in ICT at schools and studies.

55. Child, Youth and Family indicate that contracted Iwi social service groups have the capacity to undertake business on-line and are interested in doing so. However there are some Pacific people's groups that are not ready, or willing, to do so.

Access issues for people with disabilities

56. The emergence of ICT might benefit many types of people with disabilities in helping them to overcome social isolation and exclusion, yet these same technologies could serve to divide them even more from the non-disabled population - and create a digital divide within the disability community.

57. As a 1997 Ministry of Commerce Report ('The Impact of Information Technology on People with Disabilities') pointed out, appropriately designed computer and internet-based forms of work, commerce and service provision (e.g. teleworking, distance education, internet-based retailing), can help the disability community overcome its exclusion from labour markets, education, product and service markets. These technologies can also assist disability service providers to work in more integrated and co-ordinated - and hence, effective - ways. More complex assistive technologies such as voice recognition software, high-resolution screens, graphical interfaces, touch-sensitive screens, scanners, video cameras, email, various forms of electronic data transfer, computerised speech synthesisers (famously used by Professor Steven Hawking), 'talking' computer terminals, and so on - extend these opportunities to people with severe disabilities.

58. However, these devices are often expensive. Because they are complex, many also require intensive training and ongoing technical support. Only individuals who can afford to purchase them privately, or those provided with targeted assistance by the Ministry of Health and the ACC (e.g. assistive equipment for those with severe communication problems) will gain access. Other people may not even be able to access a computer or the Internet. Ministry of Health figures reveal that people with disabilities tend to be in low income groups, which reduces their prospects of owning an Internet-capable computer (much less one customised to meet their needs) or affording the ongoing costs of connection. Further, a large group of people with disabilities is assessed as moderately disabled and/or not requiring a computer for communication, education or employment. These people also have significantly lower employment participation rates and even those on proportionally higher benefits are unable to afford access to basic equipment and technical support. Access is also related to age: younger people with disability currently receiving training and support in the education system will carry those skills with them throughout their lives. Older people, often lacking the basic education and literacy required for Internet usage, are unlikely to benefit.

59. Public access sites may be an access solution for low-income groups in the general population, but since the computers are likely to be provided only in basic configurations and access usually requires specialised transport and accessible buildings, they may not be adequate to meet the needs flowing from many types of disability.

60. An issue touched on above is the use by some disability groups of special software to access websites. There is real potential for these groups to be excluded by websites with flash accessories, which cannot be read by the software people with disabilities use. For example, a recent survey of government websites found that their performance in terms of accessibility by browsers translating text into Braille was mediocre.

Access issues for public libraries

61. A 1999 study by the National Library²⁰ revealed that nearly 90 percent of public libraries were connected to the Internet at October 1998 and providing some form of public access, but the number of terminals that are available, the assistance that is provided to new users, and the cost of access, varies widely. Almost all libraries surveyed indicated plans to expand so now this may be close to 100 percent. Motivation for encouraging public access is coming both from librarians and from the public. Key drivers for librarians are trying to improve equity of access and requests from library users.

62. Anecdotal information from the above survey indicated that a wide range of people used the Internet ranging from those trying it out before making a home purchase decision, students, people who couldn't afford their own connectivity, to tourists e-mailing home. Most common uses were surfing for information, medical research, technical information from specific sites, and international news.

63. Barriers to libraries' increasing access include limited:
    • Financial resources and staff availability

    • Commitment or support from local authorities

    • Training for staff on using the Internet

    • Physical space

    • Funds to cover the cost of telecommunications.

64. Operational problems that constrain expansion of access centred on resources. Libraries indicated that they had difficulties in obtaining the resources to provide hardware and software, find time to train library staff and provide user support. The report indicated that these problems seem likely to continue and constrain libraries' ability to expand public access to the Internet: notwithstanding their view of its importance as a way accessing information.

65. The National Library has a large and ongoing investment in improving New Zealanders' online connectivity through its web-based information service, Te Puna. Te Puna provides public access to the National Library's own catalogues and digital collections, and hosts a directory of New Zealand and Pacific web sites (previously hosted by Lincoln University). Te Puna also links more than 200 New Zealand libraries and their collections in a national network of information providers. Although the full range of Te Puna services is currently available only to subscribing libraries, some libraries do provide open access to their own clients (e.g. university faculty and students, or library members). Public access to subscriber services is otherwise usually via a librarian.

Access issues for schools

66. The Information Technology Advisory Group's (ITAG) survey into ICT access in schools (1999)²¹ indicates almost universal school access to the Internet and an increasing number of schools with ICT strategies and plans due to the funding made available to schools last year and conditional on the development of plans.

67. Compared with the last study done in 1998²², double the number of teachers are using email regularly, and the number of schools with their own internet domain name has risen by 66% (although only 16 percent of schools have their own domain names). However, it should be noted that this does not mean that all computers in classrooms are connected to the Internet.

68. The report also shows that all schools on average, regardless of decile, have a similar proportion of students to computers (11 students for each computer in primary school and 6 students for every computer in secondary school). In 1998, there were 12 students per computer in primary school and 7 students per computer in secondary school²³.

69. Licensing and maintenance of computer hardware and software may be an issue for schools. However, the ITAG survey did not cover these issues. Access to good quality, independent advice about ICT is difficult to find. The ICT Helpdesk funded in the 2000 Budget will provide independent advice about ICT purchase and ownership.

70. While most schools now have an internet connection, access to adequate bandwidth appears to be an issue. As the ways in which computers are integrated into the curriculum increase, so too does the demand for additional bandwidth to enable the computers to run. The greater the complexity of the file, the more bandwidth that is required. For example, it takes more bandwidth to download a photograph in one second than it takes to download a page of text in one second. Large sound files, computer programmes, and animated videos require still more bandwidth for acceptable system performance. Virtual reality (VR) and full-length three-dimensional audio/visual presentations require the most bandwidth of all. If there is insufficient bandwidth, teachers and students may find the limitations of the technology frustrates their learning needs.

71. Lack of access to adequate bandwidth is an issue for people in some rural or remote locations. While the precise size of the problem cannot be quantified, the Ministry of Education has been working towards ensuring that rural schools have sufficient bandwidth to enable the operation of videoconferencing (128 kilobytes). Videoconferencing has been identified as one way of delivering the curriculum when a teacher with sufficient expertise may not be readily available. There are, however, few incentives for telecommunications companies to provide adequate bandwidth in rural locations.

72. At this stage it is not possible to identify the degree to which schools provide access to the wider community.

ICT skills and support

Schools

73. The ITAG report²⁴ noted as one of its objectives: Ensure that every student leaves school with an understanding of IT, its uses and its potential.
    • Develop a curriculum that uses IT across the whole curriculum.

    • Ensure sufficient funding to provide necessary IT equipment and information access services.

    • Ensure the availability of IT- relevant teacher training.

    • Ensure effective school management, performance monitoring and qualifications regimes that encourage the innovative use of IT.

74. An important and successful aspect of the Ministry of Education's ICT in Learning strategy is the professional development of current teachers. However, at this stage there is still some way to go before all teachers have the skills in this area to enable students to make optimal use of computers to assist learning. In addition, school principals' comments to officials would indicate that insufficient attention is being paid to ensuring that students in pre-service teacher training are developing a good understanding of and facility with ICT.

75. An August 2000 policy paper from the Rural Education Reference Group reports that many schools see ICT as being the 'Internet' and do not utilise the many other tools available. Like-wise it is apparent that a lack of leadership in ICT by both principals and ICT leaders in many schools is slowing real progress. The key to this lies in professional development of principals, ICT leaders and teachers, and better training of new graduates.

76. The following findings come from research into information skills in schools reported by the National Library:

77. In mid-1999, National Library advisers provided assessments for random samples of schools of nine aspects of school libraries including information skills. Advisers were able to provide an assessment of information skills for 45% of primary schools, 62% of secondary schools, and 46% of composite schools. Of the primary schools assessed, 10% were considered to be good standard, 43% developing, and 47% to need work. Figures for secondary schools were a little more positive while those for composite schools were more negative.

78. In 1996, around half or more of schools had undertaken or were planning seven actions relating to information skills teaching. These were: developing policy on information skills; assigning responsibility for information skills to a staff member; examining essential learning areas in relation to information skills; clarifying the role of the library in facilitating essential skills development; planning strategies to integrate the library's role in developing essential skills through curriculum programmes; developing policy to link information skills to the effective use of information technology; and including information skills as part of the self-review process

79. Focus Programme schools and high users of National Library advisory services were more likely to have taken these actions.

80. About 60% of primary schools and 40% of secondary schools said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the information skills programme being implemented across the school. About half the 1998 network members considered their involvement had led to the development of information literacy to at least some extent.

81. In 1998, 11% of focus schools had developed policy on information skills (53% had this in progress) and 6% had introduced an information literacy programme (56%).

82. In 1992, principals and teachers identified training for teachers as essential for students to acquire information skills.

83. The National Education Monitoring Project found in 1997 that year 4 and year 8 students tended to be successful in finding and using information, but about half the year 4 students showed little development of skills in clarifying information needs.

84. Research by Penny Moore in 1998 found no evidence that information skills had been consistently and coherently integrated into the curriculum policies of any of the four schools studied. Although staff agreed on the importance of information skills, they disagreed on the nature of the skills. Most respondents agreed they would like guidance on what information skills could be taught at what age. Less than a quarter of staff planned units of work consistently using any form of information literacy model or framework. Staff development was identified as a key issue in fostering information literacy in the classroom.